I must have had a lot of writing energy bottled up
because, tired as I am, I'm now 600 words into Chapter 1: A Pledge Redeemed of the little something I posted this morning, and it's taken two new interesting directions already! I'm just taking a brief break for a cuppa before hitting the keyboard again, and I'll be trying for the 3-4000 word mark before I let up for sleep or anything else, for I Am In Tha Gr00ve.
Sorry I couldn't provide the chapter after "Trial of Earth", but I don't know what's happening in it - not quite - whereas I am (I was) fairly sure of the beginning of the beginning, so that's what you're getting next. And THANK YOU for all the reassuring and encouraging comments!
I'd just like to point out in advance that Ranulf is NOT HP, and Robert Hod is NOT Hagrid. Not that anyone would be likely to make the mistake, but it's worth getting some things clear, I think.